Location Republic of Khakassia Basin countries Russia Max. width 5 km (3.1 mi) Length 9.5 km Width 5 km | Type meromictic Max. length 9.5 km (5.9 mi) Surface area 35.9 km (13.9 sq mi) Area 35.9 km² | |
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Lake Shira is a meromictic lake (the water layers do not mix), located in the Republic of Khakassia, Russia. The lake covers an area of 39.5 km2 (15.3 sq mi) in a steppe landscape in the Minusinsk Hollow, a relatively flat intermountain area 160 km northwest of the city of Abakan. The village for which it is named, Shira, is 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) to the west. The southern and western shores feature beaches popular for local recreation (the bottom is sandy), and spas that take advantage of the mineral water. Lake Shira is a salt lake with a high magnesium content. It has one small river providing inflow, but no outflow, although geographically the lake is in the Yenisei River basin. The northern shore is protected by the Khakasski Nature Reserve.